What's up with my calf?

I've had calf cramping once in a while, but not for a year or more now. Monday I was running easy and my right calf started feeling like it was going to cramp. I stretched it a bit, tried to run but it didn't feel good so I walked home. Took some motrin, stretched, ate a couple of bananas. Nothing changed. Didn't get worse, didn't get better.

I ran Tuesday and felt it every step but it never got worse. Nothing sharp, just a dull ache. I'm convinced it is not cramping as usually I'll get that sharp pain and/or it goes away. This is still with me.

I've used a foam roller on it a few times, which is VERY painful, but it seems to help a bit. I can run thru it with no problem. Don't know if I should rest, or continue rolling it and running easy, or what. I'm just not sure what's going on.

Anyone have something similar?

What part of the calf, Tim? I sometimes have my soleus get tender and it's harder to roll and stretch than the outer calf muscle. Do you have any other niggles that might cause you to alter your stride?

Jim Lentz wrote:What part of the calf, Tim? I sometimes have my soleus get tender and it's harder to roll and stretch than the outer calf muscle. Do you have any other niggles that might cause you to alter your stride?

It's the middle of the calf, half way between the back and the outside. Normally when I experience any cramping, it's the middle back, not towards the outside.

I should have mentioned that I have been trying to concentrate on landing a bit more mid-foot, rather than heel-striking. That may be the cause, however I still don't know what's actually wrong. I do know that in order to run right now, I can't work on that and am just allowing my foot to land however it wants to.

Tim C wrote:

Jim Lentz wrote:What part of the calf, Tim? I sometimes have my soleus get tender and it's harder to roll and stretch than the outer calf muscle. Do you have any other niggles that might cause you to alter your stride?

It's the middle of the calf, half way between the back and the outside. Normally when I experience any cramping, it's the middle back, not towards the outside.

I should have mentioned that I have been trying to concentrate on landing a bit more mid-foot, rather than heel-striking. That may be the cause, however I still don't know what's actually wrong. I do know that in order to run right now, I can't work on that and am just allowing my foot to land however it wants to.

Could be the outside of the soleus. When I overwork the soleus I usually get pain towards the inside of my calf as I seem to work that part the hardest. My inner calves are definitely more developed than the outer part of the calves.